It takes more than a wrist flick to master a simple black winged liner. So you can imagine how much more concentration and patience are required if you venture into the world of colored liners. Indeed, you’ve scrolled past and bookmarked a few inspiration photos in the hopes of one day creating little clouds on your lids or sharp lines extending up to your brows a la Euphoria’s glittery cast or resident TikTok graphic liner expert Cut Creaser (@cutcreaser).
If you’re bored of black cat-eyes, Vanessa Funes (@cutcreaser) advises upgrading to colorful water-activated liners. “Water-activated liners are my number 1 go-to product for colorful liners. Compared to liquid liners, the [palette] shades range from white to duo-chromes to metallics to black. They’re extremely versatile and easy to mix and use once you get the hang of it,” she says.
Up for the challenge? Ahead are the 16 best expert-approved colored liners for dreamy eyes and even dreamier IG pics.
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1
Best Pigment
Waterproof Cushion Color
Danessa Myricks
$15 AT DANESSA MYRICKS BEAUTY
Full coverage
Brush sold separately
The versatility of this eye pigment allows you to create intricate line art on your eyes or eye-catching lids awash with its vibrant colors, which run the gamut from fluorescent yellow and orange to a bevy of blue shades.
2
Best Water-Activated Formula
Hydra Liner
Suva Beauty
$5 AT BEAUTY BAY
Long-lasting
Brush sold separately
One swipe of Suva Beauty’s cult-favorite deposits an insane amount of coverage and pigment. As the name suggests, you’ll need to add a drop of water to activate the formula, which is smudge-proof and long-lasting.
3
Best for Mixing
Split Liner
Glisten Cosmetics
$5 AT BEAUTY BAY
Split designs offers two different colors
Brush sold separately
Vanessa Funes, aka “Cutcreaser,” TikTik’s colored eyeliner and cut-crease expert, is a major fan of the Split Liner because of how easy and versatile mixing the colors is. “Each one has a different color combination that can be used individually, together, or mixed. Some are matte, some have a sheen, and some are even duo-chrome. I reach for these constantly,” she adds.
4
Best Creamy Formula
Super Pomade Vegan Eyeliner
KVD Beauty
$21 AT ULTA BEAUTY
$9 AT WALMART
$10 AT JCPENNEY
3-in-1 product
Brush sold separately
One thing KVD products guarantee is coverage. The Super Pomade is a multipurpose gem that can be used as a brow product, eyeshadow pot, or colored liner. Its full coverage formula comes on creamy and dries down comfortably so your eyes don’t feel weighed down throughout the day.
5
Best White Liner
Epic Wear Liquid Liner
NYX Professional Makeup
$10 AT AMAZON
$10 AT WALMART
$10 AT NORDSTROM RACK
Long-lasting
Can be difficult to remove
We have YouTube beauty gurus to thank for the popularization of NYX’s white liners. This liquid version is a wonder for beginners making their first foray into the world of graphic liners or experts looking to add a long-lasting formula to their collection.
As one Amazon reviewer puts it: “Many makeup products boast of being waterproof or having longevity. They are chumps compared to this stuff. You can apply makeup remover, take a shower etc chances are this stuff will still survive. You know how in movies the woman wakes up in bed with perfect makeup? That is this. I have worn it two days in a row even though I showered. All my other makeup was gone. Except for this tough as nails eyeliner.”
6
Best Chrome Liner
So Fierce! Chrome Ink Liquid Eyeliner
Revlon
$11 AT ULTA BEAUTY
Great color payoff with one swipe
Applicator is a bit thick
Revlon makes dabbling into chrome makeup less intimidating with this one-swipe liquid eyeliner. The user-friendly design keeps the pigment in the liner’s cap, so you can build up to your desired intensity.
7
Best Color Palette
6 Color Split Cake Retro Liner
Gavissi
$18 AT AMAZON
Comes with multiple shades to choose from or mix
Brush sold separately
“Perfect for traveling, this palette has six matte shades—from white to brown to black—and can be used for simple or dramatic looks,” Funes says. Because it’s water-activated, you can use as little water to keep the color vibrant or add water for a sheer finish.
8
Best for Smooth Application
24/7 Glide-On Eyeliner Pencil
Urban Decay Cosmetics
$22 AT ULTA BEAUTY
$24 AT WALMART
$22 AT NORDSTROM
Glides on smoothly
Needs to be sharpened
Sure, the Urban Decay Glide-On Pencil arrives in an array of shades and finishes. But the best part is the nourishing ingredients. Your eyes are coated with jojoba oil, vitamin E, and cottonseed oil to help prevent any tugging and keep them soothed and moisturized for hours.
9
Best Quick Dry
Garden of Juvia Colored Liner
Juvia’s Place
$15 AT ULTA BEAUTY
Pigmented shades
Dries quickly
Juvia’s Place entered the colored eyeliner game with a collection of richly-pigmented pastel and neon shades that represent colors you’d find in a vibrant floral garden. Wear alone or combine with Juvia’s Place’s cult-favorite eyeshadow palettes.
10
Best Splurge
Matte & Metallic Double Ended Eyeliner
Charlotte Tilbury
$32 AT SEPHORA
$32 AT NORDSTROM
$32 AT SAKS FIFTH AVENUE
Dual-end with contrasting finishes
Pricey
If you can’t decide between a matte or shimmer look, Charlotte Tilbury designed a dual-ended pencil for the indecisive. The creamy formula glides on like a dream, thanks to a blend of emollients, and lasts all day long.
11
Best Sweat-Proof
NORVINA® Chroma Stix Makeup Pencils
Anastasia Beverly Hills
$18 AT SEPHORA
Twist-up packaging
Can dry out after awhile
ABH’s collection of color “stix” puts your creativity to the test. With 16 shades to choose from and a matte finish, these pencils are bold enough for the festival season and can add a subtle pop of color to the eyes. The twist-up feature ensures there’s not too much product waste, but it does come with a sharpener for extra precision.
12
Best for Precision
On Stage Liner
Dior
$30 AT DIOR
Precision tip
Pricey
Dior’s On Stage Liner brings the feel of backstage fashion show prep right to your bedroom vanity. You’re in complete control of the liner, which has a tapered precision tip that deposits as much or as little color as you desire.
13
Best Metallic Liner
Epic Wear Liner Stick
NYX Professional Makeup
$9 AT AMAZON
$9 AT WALMART
$8 AT NORDSTROM RACK
Pigmented
Needs to be sharpened
You called for intense pigment? NYX answered with the Epic Wear Line Stick. Even though it’s metallic, it dries down to a matte finish which allows for long-wear, whether it’s placed on the lid or on the waterline.
14
Best Coverage
Matte Fluid Eye Paint
about-face
$16 AT ULTA BEAUTY
Pigmented
Applicator is thick
Matte Fluid Eye Paint is not for the faint of heart. With full coverage and a lightweight matte finish, the versatile fluid applies easily without smudging or transferring. According to one reviewer, one swipe is enough. “Shockingly, this product is easy to use and a little goes a LOOONG way,” the reviewer wrote. “Consistently easy to blend and only takes minutes to get a decent smokey eye with NO fallout ( which honestly half of the benefit of using cream in the first place ) thanks Halsey.”
15
Best Design
Optic Intensity Eco Gel Eyeliner Pencil
HAUS LABS BY LADY GAGA
$22 AT SEPHORA
$22 AT JCPENNEY
Dual-end features a small brush
May need a few passes on deeper tones
What’s great about the Haus Labs liner is easily the dual-end design that features a liner on one end, and a brush on the other. Thanks to the creamy formula, the brush can be used to smudge the product to create a smokey effect or clean up any mishaps.
16
Best Multipurpose
Artist Color Pencil: Eye, Lip & Brow Pencil
MAKE UP FOR EVER
$18 AT SEPHORA
$17 AT WALMART
$20 AT NORDSTROM
Multipurpose
Needs to be sharpened
The only pencil your makeup bag needs is this one from Make Up For Ever. With this one product, you can line your lips, create intricate designs on your eyes, fill in your brows, and flush your cheeks with a subtle wash of blush.
17
FAQs
How do you apply colored liner?
Like any pomade or cream product, the application is only as good as the tool used. If your colored liners don’t come with a brush already, Funes advises investing in the absolute best tools, especially if precision is a top priority. Funes shares her tips below.
Find the best tools
“If you’re doing a graphic liner, you want a brush that is a few millimeters long. I reach for my By Melolops C2 or my Gavissi Beauty GV08 brush—both very thin—to create precise lines and can also be used to create a thick line, too. If you’re applying dots to add accents to your look, reach for a nail art dotting tool for the easiest application or even a bobby pin.
Don’t be afraid to get creative
“Create a design, whether it’s a circle, a square, a triangle, cat eye winged liner, a Marvel superhero logo, absolutely anything,” she says. Beginners can also begin with a simple winged liner and work their way up to Cut Creaser’s more intricate designs.
Activate the liner
If the liner pot or palette you’re using is water-activated, understanding how opaque or sheer you want your liner will determine how much water is needed. “You should only use a few drops of water to activate it to the right consistency,” Funes advises.
Dry, dry, dry
To prevent smudging or transferring, allow your liner ample time to dry down. Once it’s dry, you can build up the coverage to your desired look, or add mascara and lashes.
What do you look for in a colored liner?
Your criteria for colored liners depends on your desired look, but color and finish are super important to Funes. If I need a very distinct color, I’ll look at Glisten Cosmetics because they have the biggest shade range I’ve ever seen,” she adds. Palettes give you more bang for your buck since they typically come with a slew of shades to choose from that can be easily mixed together or layered. “Because [palettes] are so versatile, I can find any finish from shimmer to matte to duo-chrome. My go-to’s are mostly matte but if you need an accent to your look, a good shimmer will make your eyes pop,” she adds.
Source: www.elle.com
